Chief unhappy with sale of swampy lands

Nana Bofotia Boa Amponsem II, Krontihene of Sunyani Traditional Area, has expressed concern about the behaviour of some chiefs and farmers, which contribute to the destruction of lands in the country.

He said some chiefs sold lands in swampy areas to developers during the dry season, which became a problem to the buyers during the rainy season.

Nana Boa Amponsem expressed the concern at the opening session of the 2014 Annual Conference of Ghana Geographical Association (GGA) and Ghana Geography Teachers Association (GGTA) in Sunyani.

It was on the theme: “Natural Resource Sustainability and Community Development-The Role of the Geographer”.

The conference is being attended by Geographers and Geography teachers nationwide to find ways to sustain natural resources.

Nana Boa Amponsem pointed out that lives and properties were being swept away during the rainy season because people had built on waterways thereby destroying rivers and the streams.

He urged the participants to endeavour to advise chiefs to help protect the natural resources for future generation.

Besides, the Town and Country Department, Planning and Surveyors should be involved to appreciate the importance of the environment and so that they just do not allocate lands in the country.

Nana Boa Amponsem urged the government to formulate policies to control farming and not allow farmers to plant food crops in unsuitable areas, especially in forest reserves, through the illegal felling of trees.

Mrs Eva Tagoe Darko, President of GGA, expressed concern about the increasing rate of deforestation, land degradation, small and large-scale surface mining and pollution of water bodies.

She said sustainability had become a global challenge, which needed urgent solution to protect natural resources.

Mrs Darko urged the participants to help promote understanding of the environment and the natural resources through rigorous scientific research into sustainable natural resources use and management, education and the training of students on the management of natural resources for the development of communities.